Mass Effect: A Different ending
by dollyshepard
Summary: This Shepard lives on! A different take on what could have happened to defeat the Reapers. Part one of the rest of his long life, which he will be at Liara's side.


**New ending to Mass Effect 3**

"No matter what happens, you mean everything to me Liara." Shepard said as he put his hand to her cheek.

"Shepard.. I," Liara reached for him, she wanted to grab on and never let go, "I am yours." she whispered.

Shepard walked backward from her then glanced back toward the reaper, and as she watched him turn and run, her heart sank. "Shepard!" she screamed out and Garrus held onto to her so she wouldn't run after him. Her knees were weak and she collapsed as she watched the ground get further and further away from her as the Normandy lifted. In the distance she saw Shepard dodging blast after blast. She never took her eyes off him and almost looked away when she saw the red beam charge and speed toward Shepard. She forced herself to watch, so she would know for sure. In horror she saw him fly back as the impact hit the ground in front of him and he landed in a pile of rubble.

"WAIT!" she screamed to Garrus and then ran to the com, "JOKER! STOP!" She gasped in a breath, then said, "Shepard! He was hit!"

It had worked, the Normandy hovered in the air as Garrus followed Liara to a shuttle. "What are you doing?!"

"I'M NOT LEAVING HIM!" The black of her eyes showed as her rage began to take over. No one would stop her this time.

"Well then I'm coming with you." Garrus jumped into the shuttle next to her.

"I'm going back down Joker, I'll let you know when we're clear."

"Ok Liara, we'll wait in orbit."

"Understood," She replied as she powered up the shuttled and cleared the Normandy.

She landed within safe distance of Shepard and darted out to him. She shifted through the rubble, hearing the weapons fire and explosions in the distance, but the reaper that had been next to the conduit had left. She gasped as she spotted his armor. "Shepard!" she yelled frantically as she knelt next to him, lifting off debris. Garrus was on the other side of him helping her.

She gasped in with nervous laughter when she heard him moan. "Shepard!" She called out to him.

Shepards ears were ringing and his body didn't feel like responding. He had just envisioned killing the reapers, and as they were obliterated he saw the Normandy land safely on a distant planet and Liara had gotten out with Joker. Why was he hearing her voice now? And why did it sound really far away?

"Shepard!" She shook him this time that seemed to bring him out of his fuzzy daze.

"Li..." his voice was non-existent, and he groaned again as he tried to swallow the blood in his throat.

"Shepard!" Her voice sounded excited now, and he heard her nervous laughter.

"Liara..." He forced his eyes open and saw the blue beauty hovering above him. With utter confusion he tried to ask, "What..."

"You were hit with a beam, no one has made it into the conduit." Liara anticipated his question.

"No!" Shepard tried to move and cried out in pain.

"Don't, we'll carry you to the shuttle, ..." she looked over, "Garrus?"

Garrus nodded and helped her lift Shepard out of the pile of cement.

"Wait..." Shepard croaked, " We have to get the arms open..." he paused as he coughed up some blood, then with a gasp and in pain he added, "... or they can't dock the crucible." Although now he was beginning to wonder if this was all a dream too.

Liara and Garrus looked at each other, to which Liara closed her eyes and sighed. She knew he was right, they had been fighting to get to this crucial moment and they can't turn back now, even though all she wanted was to steal Shepard away for herself. It wasn't fair! She screamed in her head. As a tear streamed down her face she agreed, "Ok."

"Ok." Shepard whispered as he hung on her for support.

Garrus was helping them down the rubble and suggested, "Let's bring Shepard to the shuttle and I'll go up with you Liara."

She nodded but Shepard interrupted, "No, I'm going with you."

Immediately that sparked Liara's reaction, "What! NO you're not!"

"Liara," Shepard stopped trying to hobble for a moment and turned toward her. His light grey eyes pleading with her he said, "I'm not staying here while you go up there to die." he paused for a breath as it was still hard to talk. A tear streamed down his face at his next words, "I know you won't leave this time, so I know I can't save you. But no way in hell am I going to outlive you."

Liara couldn't hold back her tears and gushed out, "Oh Shepard," which was barely recognizable.

They kissed which ended in a very wet mix of tears and blood. Shepard held her cheek and said, "I won't live without you."

They hugged a moment and she whispered, "Alright."

and he whispered back, "Let's go."

They turned to continue the tedious journey to the beam, to which Garrus grabbed Shepards other arm and retorted, "You two have the strangest fights."

Shepard simply smiled while Liara let out a laugh. She wasn't sure which emotion to feel at the moment, for in the past 10 minutes she felt, dread, sorrow, hope, tremendous fear, longing, relief, anger, and now laughter. No one wouldn't be able to tell her she was too naive for her young Asari age now. She's been through more than most Matrons.

She heard Shepard take a deep breath while she held hers when they stepped into the beam. Where they came out however, was completely different to what Shepard had just experienced in his mind. They were at the embassy and shot out of the relay that was in the centre of the plaza. The same conduit he distinctly remembers flying through in a RTV a couple years ago when they chased after Seren.

All three of them had flown apart and Shepard stumbled to his feet holding a nearby rail. He looked around and saw Liara getting to a wobbly stand in the distance and Garrus across from her. He sighed knowing they were ok and he looked toward the spot the council usually project their images. It was complete irony if anything could be, as he saw the Illusive man standing in the very spot Seren was when he convinced him to shoot himself. (even though that hadn't been his intention).

The Illusive man spun to find Shepard and said, "Shepard," in his sly condescending manner, "I thought you'd..."

He was however cut short when the bullet from Shepards gun pierced his chest. The man gasped, his electronic eyes wide with surprise and watched helplessly as Shepard walked up to him in a quick pace and before he could utter another word, Shepard pulled the trigger again and shot him in the head.

The Illusive man's body fell limp and Shepard didn't hesitate to assume the controls that were moments before being manipulated by that monster.

Liara and Garrus had just run up behind him as Shepard initiated the final taps on the holographic keyboard and the Citadel began to open. All three instinctively looked up and Shepard used the panel to contact the fleet, "Admiral, the arms are opening now."

In the background of the response he heard cheers, "Thank you Shepard, we're docking now."

Shepard turned to hold Liara and they sunk to the ground. He held her as she cried and Garrus walked down the steps to give them some privacy.

"It's finally over." She whispered.

"Yea," Shepard replied but reluctantly looked up, hoping it would work. They poured all their resources into this moment... it had to work.

They heard through the transmission on the panel the Admiral's voice, "Contact in ten..."

They silently counted in their heads and upon hearing the metal on metal above them, and visually seeing the connection, they waited. It wasn't long as there was a sudden flash and a bright almost blinding light shot in a giant bubble from the point of contact outward. Then in a moment of hesitation they felt a rumble as the mass relay hoops picked up speed as though something was about to make a jump, and that same bright beam shot through and into space.

That was it. Nothing more. Shepard grabbed the rail next to him to get up, while Liara helped him on the other side and he walked to the panel. The Admiral transmitted, "Shepard,"

"I'm here sir." Shepard replied.

"The Reapers are still active, it didn't work." He sounded confused.

Shepard closed his eyes and sighed as he heard Liara utter, "oh no." and hug him. He held her unsure of what to do next.

"Wait." The Admiral added. "Reports are coming in, the husks on earth are unresponsive. They're telling me they're not attacking but they're not destroyed either. They're just standing there along with the Cannibal's, Banshee's, Ravager's, Brutes, ... Shepard, they're all docile!"

Shepard asked, "And the Reapers?"

The Admiral replied, "they seem disorganized, like they're confused and not receiving orders. I think we did it! Now we just have to destroy them and clean up the mess."

Shepard gave a slight laugh, "That's good to hear sir."

"Ohhh!" Liara squealed and hugged Shepard tightly forgetting for a moment that he was still hurt. That is until he groaned and she gasped, "Oh sorry!"

Garrus grabbed Shepards hand, doing their usual hand clasped-in-the-air shake, "You did it Shepard."

Shepard corrected, "We did it."

Garrus laughed and added, "And all I had to do was carry your sorry ass up here."

Shepard laughed this time, then coughed saying, "Owe..." followed by another cough, "don't make me laugh." He lowered to the ground again with Liara and rested his head on her shoulder.

Garrus used the terminal to radio the Normandy. "Can we get a pickup here or what!?"

"GARRUS?" came Joker's excited voice through the com.

"Who else?" he replied, "We're down here, you know the same ironic place we were two years ago?"

"You're shittin me!" Joker spat.

Shepard laughed again and coughed, "We shit you not."

"Shepard!" Joker shouted, "We'll be right there!"

Garrus sarcastically retorted, "Oh sure when I call you, you stall, but now that you know Shepard is here your all, _I'll be right there_!" He mocked Jokers voice.

Shepard and Liara laughed this time and after Shepard coughed he said, "No seriously, don't make me laugh."


End file.
